Miniature basketball game



y 1940. I c. G. NELSON 2,201,560

MINIATURE BASKETBALL GAME Filed March 8, 19138 E 5 opoaue'lvr Ezra/vs am: PR5: Tunow.

CLARE a. NELSGN I ATTORNEY Patented May 21,1940 2,201,560

UNITED STATES PATENT O'FFECE 2,201,560 MINIATURE BASKETBALL GAME Clare George Nelson, Portland, Oreg.

Application March 8, 1938, Serial No. 194,570

1 Claim. (Cl. 27385) This invention relates to improvements in table ner surface of the end wall. The opposite end games and more particularly to a basketball game of the bracket is turned upwardly as at 9 for reto be played with ticldle-dy-winks, and wherein movable engagement with a slot it! formed in a a disc is snapped or jumped by a player from one panel H secured to the rear wall of a backstop end. of the playing area to the other in an effort E2. The lower edge of the backstop I2 is pro- 5:" to, jump the disc into or through a basket. The vided with a panel l3 slotted as at M to receive playing field is formed with a plurality of playone leg of an angular clip IS. The otherleg of ing zones, intermediate foul lines and foulareas, the clip extends outwardly to receive the basket and an offside area, and it is the purpose of the ring it which is secured to the clip by any suitlo game to play a disc from the starting point to able means such as soldering, riveting or the like. 101 and through a basket by avoiding the foul lines, By this arrangement the entire basket assembly foul areas, etc. may be removed from the end wall and disas- Another object of the .invention is the prosembled or collapsed and stored within the game vision of differently colored cards and corboard when not in use. l5 respondingly colored areas within the ,playing The playing surface of the board is entirely field which, when contacted by a disc being surrounded by a marginal area ll which repre played, will indicate which colored card the player sents an out-of-bounds zone. This zone is must accept. The cards contain various printed provided with a series of discs or spots Wall of instructions, some of which are in favor of the the same color, for example, green, and are replayer and others of which represent handicaps, lated to certain instruction cards of a similar 20 setbacks, etc. color which will be more fully hereinafter de- Another object of the invention is the provision scribed. The area of the playing surface within of a game which combines the old and 'wellthe marginalportio-n is formed into four playknown game of tiddle-dy-winke with the modern ing zones l9, 2!], 2| and 22. Each of these zones :1.) game of basketball, are also provided with discs 23 whose color, for 25 The foregoing and other objects will appear as example, brown, corresponds with other playing my invention is more fully hereinafter described cards which will also be more fully hereinafter in the following specification, illustrated in the described. The zones l9 and 20 are divided by a accompanying drawing, and finally pointed out line 24; the zones 26 and 2! are divided by a line rm inthe appended claim. 25; and the zones 2| and 22 are divided by a line 3Q In the drawing: 26. Figure 1 is a top plan view of the game showing The zones l9 and 22 are provided with circular the outline and markings of the playing field spaces 21 which are divided by a cross-marking and the playing discs in various safe and foul 28 and each circular space opens into a longipositions. tudinal space 29 directed to the basket and 35. Figure 2 is a side elevation of Jigure 1. terminating at the outer edge of each of the sec- Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view of a baskettions [9 and 22. supporting means and a backstop therefor. The dividing line 25 between zones 2!! and 2| Figure 4 is a plan view of a shooting disc. is marked with two concentric circles 33 and 3|. Figures 5 and 6 are facsimiles of the instruc- The area within these circles represents a starttion cards. ing point for playing the game.

Referring now more particularly to the draw- The playing surface of the board within the ing: confines of the marginal portion I? is made of Reference numeral I indicates generally the soft material such as felt or the like and may be playing surface of the game board which is of any suitable color. The marginal portion, the 5 formed on a floor 2 and surrounded by side Walls spots l8 and the various lines may be made of 3 and end walls 4. The side and end walls are paper, cloth or the like. The game is played secured to each other and to the floor in any with tiddle-dy-Winks which I have represented suitable manner. Each end wall has a basket 5 by discs '32 shown in various positions of fair and an arranged in spaced relation thereto and elevated foul play. The discs 32 will be hereinafter re- 51 from the floor, as best illustrated in Figure 3. ferred to as a ball. The basket and its related parts comprise a re- Both players play with one tiddle-dy-wink, but movable unit consisting of a bracket 6 turned I have shown a number of them on the board down at one of its ends for removable engagemerely to illustrate the various fair, foul,v and 55 ment with a slot 1 in a panel 8 secured to the inout-of-bounds positions. 5

In starting the game each player will play with his own tiddle-dy-wink (ball) from the zone closest to him. For example, in Figure l the tiddle-dy-wink 33 will represent a players ball in a starting position. From this position a player attempts to jump the disc to the space within the circles 30 and 3| in the center of the board. The player coming closest to the center of the circles is awarded the first play and proceeds to jump his ball from the circles into the surrounding zone. Assuming, for example, that ball 33 has been jumped into the position shown in zone 2! and is awarded the first play. From this point the player attempts to jump the ball into zone 20 and should avoid landing on any of the discs or spots 23 and on either of the dividing lines 24 and 25 and also those lines of the circle being within that zone. Assuming the ball has landed in the dotted line position shown in zone 26, the player is entitled to another play from this point. A successful play from this point should land the ball within the zone l9 into a position, for example, as shown in dotted lines therein where the ball is free from the spots 23 and the circular area 2"! and the lines surrounding it. From this last position the player may then attempt to jump the ball into the basket 5. If unsuccessful in jumping the ball through the basket and the ball falls again into the zone l9 free from all of the foul spots and foul lines he is entitled to shoot again and continue to shoot after each unsuccessful attempt to shoot the basket so long as the ball lands free from any of the foul markings. If, however, the ball does land on the colored spot 23 he must then take a correspondingly colored card from the top of the pack of cards and be governed by the instructions on the card. For example,

Green card Brown card Foul.-Blocking,-Opponent Held balL-Play for any spot receives one free throw.

from your present position. Landing on spot entitles you to continue playing.

If the ball lands on a foul line then it is the opponents turn to take possession of the ball and shoot it from its last position into the next adjoining zone. For example, if the ball lands into the position F shown on the dividing line 24 the opponent may start shooting the ball from that point toward his basket at the opposite end of the board by advancing the ball from zone to zone being careful, as aforesaid, to avoid the colored spots and the foul lines. If at any time throughout the game the ball of either player contacts one of the colored spots I 8 within the marginal area, as shown at he must take a correspondingly colored card from another pack and be guided by the instructions printed on that card.

The instructions and rules for playing the game are as follows:

The game is played by two players. The purpose of each player is to score as many points as possible by jumping the ball into his basket. The equipment used for playing the game consists of one large tiddle-dy-wink shooting disc as shown in Figure 4, and one small tiddle-dy-wink disc which is referred to as the ball. Two packs of cards are provided. One pack of cards is colored to correspond with the color of the spots l8 and the other stack is colored to correspond with the color of the spots 23. The packs of cards may be placed on either side of the game board within convenient reach of both players.

To determine which player is to receive the tip-off or, in other words, to start his respective ball in progress, each player will play from the zone closest to him, either in zone H1 or 22. From the starting zone the player attempts to jump the ball on to the center of the board defined by the circles 30 and 3!. The player whose ball arrives nearest the center, as previously pointed out, receives the tip-ofl' at that point and plays from thereon from zone to zone toward his objective basket, being careful throughout each play to avoid landing on a dividing line, or on a penalty disc or out-of-bounds, as aforesaid. In shooting at the center of the board (circles 30 and 3|) each player uses his own ball, but following the tip-off and the start of the game one ball is removed and both players play with the one remaining ball.

Upon receiving the tip-off the player jumps his ball towards the basket with the shooting disc and if he shoots progressively from zone to zone he must not remain in any zone for more than one turn except when shooting for the basket. Failing to jump out of a zone on one shot the player loses possession of the ball and his opponent starts playing from that point. The center circle and the two end circular areas are regarded as zones during the play of the game. A player can only score a basket from any position beyond the transverse centerline 25. A basket made from behind the centerline does not score and the opponent takes possession of the ball as out-of-bounds.

When a ball lands on any of the circles or the spots [8 or 23 it is the equivalent of a referee blowing a whistle and the player must then stop and pick a card whose color corresponds with the circle with which his ball is in contact.

All fouls are listed on the referee cards except that of shooting the ball off the board which, 01'

course, constitutes a foul and entitles the opponent to one free throw. To score a foul shot the player receiving the foul places the ball behind the foul line in the space 21 and shoots from there. If he makes the basket his opponent takes possession out-of-bounds nearest him. If the basket is missed the same player continues playing unless, of course, the ball touches a line, or spot or is out-of-bounds. When two free throws are taken, the ball is dead on the first shot and play is continued only after the second shot has been taken. When a technical or double foul is taken the two players play for the tip-off as at the start of the game.

Each basket made from the floor counts two points. A free throw counts one point.

The players have their choice of any time limit agreed upon for the length of the game. If the limit is twenty minutes the two players should change baskets at the end of the half (ten minutes). If the players decide to play to a number of points they should change baskets when one player has scored half of the total.

Further examples of the cards are as follows:

GREEN CARDS Personal fouZs.--Tripping, charging, holding, blockingopponent receives one free throw.

Technical fouZs.-T0o many times out, talking back to ofiiceropponent receives one free throw.

Double fouls.0if, charging, defence blocking-both players receive one free throw.

Continue playing.--Opponent touched ball before it went out.

BROWN CARDS Personal fouls in act of shooting.-If not in scoring position one free throw. You were checked in the act of shooting. Take a shot from your present position. If it is good the basket counts and you get one free throw, otherwise two free throws, heldpushed.

Steps, broken dribbZe.-Opponent takes possession nearest out-of-bounds.

Held baZZ.--Play for any spot on court, if it touches continue playing, otherwise opponent takes possession.

Fouls.-Blocking, holding by opponent. You receive one free throw.

out-oj-boundsover three seconds in keyhole-opponent takes possession at out-of-bounds nearest him.

While I have shown a particular form of embodiment of my invention I am aware that many minor changes therein will readily suggest themsurrounding the field, side and end walls secured.

to and entirely surrounding the outermost edges of the board, a basket disposed at each end of 'the playing field, means for removably securing the baskets to the end walls in an elevated and overhanging position with respect to the playing field and the out-of-bounds zone, said means consisting of a panel secured tothe end wall at the center thereof, a bracket secured to the top of the panel and extending inwardly therefrom, a vertically disposed wall removably secured to the inner end of the bracket, and a basket removably secured to the lower end of said wall.

CLARE GEORGE NELSON. 

